— ‘Immensely hurt’ Imran condemns ‘barbaric’ attack, calls on OIC to sensitise world on issue
JERUSALEM: Israeli police attacked and arrested Muslim worshippers from Palestine in a violent raid inside Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque Wednesday, in flaring violence as the Jewish Passover overlaps with the holy month of Ramadan.
Armed police in riot gear stormed the mosque’s prayer hall before dawn, with the goal of dislodging “law-breaking youths and masked agitators” who had barricaded themselves inside following evening prayers.
At least 400 Palestinians were arrested on Wednesday and remain in Israeli custody, according to Palestinian officials, which drew threats from Palestinian groups and wide condemnation from Muslim countries.
WATCH: Israeli forces blocked ambulances from reaching al-Aqsa mosque after dozens of heavily armed officers stormed the site and fired tear gas and stun grenades into the Qibli prayer hall on Tuesday night pic.twitter.com/cRcLRha98b
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 5, 2023
Israel’s radical National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir later offered his “complete backing” to police and their “swift and determined” actions.
Palestinian group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, called on West Bank Palestinians “to go en masse to the Al-Aqsa mosque to defend it”.
After the violence at Al-Aqsa, several rockets were fired from northern Gaza towards Israel, to Al Jazeera reported.
The Israeli army said five rockets were intercepted by the aerial defence system around the city of Sderot in southern Israel and that four others had fallen in uninhabited areas.
Israeli planes attacked multiple sites in Gaza, striking targets at a “military site” west of the city and a site in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the centre of the strip, according to Al Jazeera’s Maram Humaid in Gaza.
The mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest site. It is built on top of what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.
Israeli forces mercilessly beating up Palestinian worshippers inside Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan prayers. pic.twitter.com/MdgeBcZIQD
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) April 5, 2023
It has been a frequent flashpoint, particularly during Ramadan, and clashes there in May 2021 set off the latest Gaza war that raged for 11 days.
On Gaza’s streets overnight, protesters burnt tyres and chanted: “We swear to defend and protect the Al-Aqsa mosque.”
Calm had returned to the Al-Aqsa compound by late morning, when Israeli police escorted a small group of Jewish visitors through the site. An officer told an AFP journalist police were only allowing those aged 60 and over to access the compound.
Responding to the event, former prime minister Imran Khan called on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to inform United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the international community “that such barbaric acts cause immense hurt to Muslims across the world.”
Strongly condemn this attack on worshippers in Al Aqsa mosque once again by Israeli forces esp during Holy month of Ramazan. It is OIC’s responsibility to inform UNSC & int community that such barbaric acts cause immense hurt to Muslims across the world.https://t.co/NVYJl15KoY
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 5, 2023
Rocks and fireworks
Israeli police said the Palestinians had barricaded themselves inside the mosque from Tuesday evening, and ahead of Passover which starts Wednesday evening.
Israeli police moved in to apprehend the “agitators” who had fortified the site “to disrupt public order and desecrate the mosque”, they said.
“After many and prolonged attempts to get them out by talking to no avail, police forces were forced to enter the compound in order to get them out with the intentions to allow the Fajr (dawn) prayer and to prevent a violent disturbance,” the police statement added.
BREAKING: Israeli forces storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound using sound bombs against worshippers in the Qibli mosque. pic.twitter.com/bvwb9sXGo8
— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) April 4, 2023
Police “detained the rioters”, who had “caused damage to the mosque and desecrated it”.
Within hours, at least nine rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, the army said, adding that five were intercepted by air defences, and four struck uninhabited areas.
“In response” Israeli fighter jets struck two suspected Hamas weapons manufacturing sites in the Gaza Strip, the army said.
The air strikes were followed by new rocket fire from Gaza, and at around 6:15 am (0415 GMT), Israeli jets carried out fresh strikes, AFP journalists reported.
No casualties were reported in the first salvo of strikes.
‘Intensifying violence’
Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh condemned the Israeli police action inside Al-Aqsa, saying “the level of brutality requires urgent Palestinian, Arab and international action”.
Jordan, which administers the mosque, condemned its “storming”, and called on Israeli forces to leave the compound immediately.
Saudi Arabia expressed its “categorical rejection” of actions that contradict “international principles and norms in respect of religious sanctities”.
Egypt, which has frequently mediated in the conflict, said it “holds Israel, the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous escalation which could undermine the truce efforts in which Egypt is engaged with its regional and international partners”.
Israeli occupation forces assault and detain two Palestinian girls from Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards. pic.twitter.com/YeNXyh1erm
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) April 5, 2023
The dispute has descended into intensifying violence since the most right-wing government in Israel’s history took office in late December under veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
So far this year, it has claimed the lives of at least 91 Palestinians, 15 Israelis and one Ukrainian, according to an AFP tally based on official sources from both sides.
